Eclipse Award winner meets two World Record holders

By Patrick Kerrison
Monday afternoon, July 4, at Emerald Downs, three World Record holders – all Washington State-breds – were paraded before the crowd and met in the familiar surroundings of the winner’s circle for the first time in Northwest racing history.
Chinook Pass, Willie the Cat and Sabertooth were honored in a special celebration as the Auburn oval premiered the Independence Day Sprint Festival.
1983 Eclipse Award winning Champion Sprinter, Chinook Pass, set a world mark for 5 furlongs on September 17, 1982 in 55-1/5 seconds. Setting the mark in the famed and beloved Longacres, it remains 22 years later as the fastest time at the distance.
Willie the Cat, who had tied an Emerald Downs record for most consecutive wins at the start of a career (6) and ran the fastest 6 furlongs of the 2004 meet (1:07 4/5), made his mark in history on April 16, 2004.
Traveling 5-˝ furlongs, Willie the Cat completed his test and tied Plenty Zloty’s world mark in 1:01 1/5. The latter first set the record at Turf Paradise on April 19, 1995 as a 5-year-old.
On May 22 of this year, the 7-year-old Sabertooth returned in his second start off a 19-month layoff to etch his names in the annals of the game. Running 6-˝ furlongs in a swift 1:13, the 2002 Gr. III Longacres Mile winner became the third horse bred in the Evergreen state to set a world mark.
All three records continue to stand today.
Later in the afternoon, Another Bob captured the 5-1/2 furlong Stars & Stripes Handicap, topping 3/5 favorite Wasserman who ran third. Marva Jean extended her win streak to four with her third major victory of the season in The Betsy Ross. Light My Ducks was a competitive winner of The Red, White & Blue with Diamond View – the longest shot on the board - returning $40.20 while capturing The Old Glory.
Rider Ricky Frazier, who faced difficulties in the starting gate and was bounced and tossed about on more than one occasion, got out the troubles of the day by managing to win two of the four Sprint Festival events (on Another Bob & Diamond View). He wrapped up the four-day set with seven winners, including four on Friday, July 1, and a stakes win aboard Karis Makaw Sunday, July 3, and $91,387.00 in earnings.